MIT Technology Review - Boston Dynamicshttp://www.technologyreview.com/tagged/boston-dynamics/
enA Transformer Wins DARPA's $2 Million Robotics Challengehttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/538136/a-transformer-wins-darpas-2-million-robotics-challenge/
<p>A robot capable of rolling on four wheels or walking on two legs shows the value of adaptability during the DARPA’s robot event.</p><p>A diminutive, 200-pound silver humanoid robot from South Korea called DRC-Hubo claimed first place on Saturday afternoon in the <a href="http://www.theroboticschallenge.org/" target="0">DARPA Robotics Challenge</a> by rising awkwardly from four wheels and ascending several metal stairs with a series of slow, halting steps.</p>Fri, 05 Jun 2015 17:34:00 +0000Will538136 at http://www.technologyreview.comDARPA's Robot Challenge May Equip Robots to One Day Walk Among Ushttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/537931/darpas-robot-challenge-may-equip-robots-to-one-day-walk-among-us/
<p>The DARPA challenge, designed to make robots disaster-ready, could have far-reaching technological benefits.</p><p>Few people ever need to deal with a stricken nuclear reactor, but that skill could turn out to be important for the evolution of smarter robots.</p>Thu, 04 Jun 2015 14:55:00 +0000juniper.friedman537931 at http://www.technologyreview.comThe Robots Running This Wayhttp://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/527696/the-robots-running-this-way/
<p>Some of the machines acquired recently by Google represent a giant leap forward for robot-kind.</p><p>In the pit lane of the Homestead-Miami speedway in Florida, inside a track on which race cars sometimes travel at over 300 kilometers an hour, a small crowd is watching something considerably slower but arguably far more impressive. On a sunny Saturday morning just before Christmas, a robot that roughly resembles a large person is contemplating a makeshift door on the tarmac ahead. It surveys the door using a laser scanner and a pair of cameras in its head; then, after a lengthy pause, the robot extends a gleaming aluminum arm, pushes open the door, and slowly steps through.</p>Tue, 03 Jun 2014 04:00:00 +0000brunascle527696 at http://www.technologyreview.comAgile Robotshttp://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/526536/agile-robots/
<p>Computer scientists have created machines that have the balance and agility to walk and run across rough and uneven terrain, making them far more useful in navigating human environments.</p>Wed, 23 Apr 2014 04:05:02 +0000digitalservices526536 at http://www.technologyreview.comRise of the Compliant Machineshttp://www.technologyreview.com/aroundmit/524981/rise-of-the-compliant-machines/
<p>MIT spinout Meka Robotics, recently acquired by Google, creates ‘sociable’ humanoids that could help advance human-robot interaction.</p><p>Are we on the brink of a robotics revolution? That’s what numerous media outlets asked last December when Google acquired eight robotics companies that specialize in such innovations as manipulation, vision, and humanoid robots.</p>Thu, 20 Feb 2014 19:26:12 +0000Sooz524981 at http://www.technologyreview.comQ&A with James Kuffner, Google Robotics Researcherhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/523096/qa-with-james-kuffner-google-robotics-researcher/
<p>At a military contest in Miami, a Google scientist discusses the future of robotics.</p><p>At a racetrack in Florida this weekend, <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/view/523091/googles-robot-recruits-dominate-darpas-rescue-challenge/" target="_blank">16 robots competed</a> to complete a series of tasks inspired by challenges faced in cleaning up the destroyed Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant. Two of the companies involved in the DARPA contest—Boston Dynamics and Schaft—were recently acquired by Google, which has also bought at least six other robotics companies in recent months. <a href="http://research.google.com/pubs/author39726.html" target="_blank">James Kuffner</a>, a research scientist at Google and a member of its new robotics team, spoke to <em>MIT Technology Review</em>’s news and analysis editor<em>, </em>Will Knight, on the sidelines of the event.</p>Mon, 23 Dec 2013 20:00:00 +0000Kyanna.Sutton523096 at http://www.technologyreview.comGoogle's Robot Recruits Dominate DARPA's Rescue Challengehttp://www.technologyreview.com/view/523091/googles-robot-recruits-dominate-darpas-rescue-challenge/
<p>Two companies acquired by Google demonstrate remarkable feats of agility and dexterity (albeit slowly) at a competition held in Florida.</p><p>Crowds gathered at a NASCAR racetrack in Miami this weekend to witness a more sedate sport than usual, as some of the world’s most advanced legged robots inched their way through a range of emergency tasks, including clambering over rubble, clearing debris, and operating a fire hose. And two of the robot-makers acquired recently by Google, <a href="http://www.bostondynamics.com/" target="_blank">Boston Dynamics</a> and <a href="http://schaft-inc.jp/" target="_blank">Schaft</a>, dominated the contest, giving some sense of why the company was so keen to snap them up. </p>Sat, 21 Dec 2013 23:20:49 +0000willknight523091 at http://www.technologyreview.comGoogle's Latest Robot Acquisition Is the Smartest Yethttp://www.technologyreview.com/video/522696/googles-latest-robot-acquisition-is-the-smartest-yet/
<p>In buying Boston Dynamics, Google has gained an impressive edge in robot locomotion.</p><p>Google’s remarkable push into robotics continued today with the acquisition of <a href="http://www.bostondynamics.com/" target="_blank">Boston Dynamics</a>, a particularly exciting—and potentially important—company.</p>Sat, 14 Dec 2013 23:23:02 +0000willknight522696 at http://www.technologyreview.comRise of the More Human Robothttp://www.technologyreview.com/video/517411/rise-of-the-more-human-robot/
<p>Atlas is meant to assist in emergencies, but it could also inspire other machines to walk in our footsteps.</p>Thu, 25 Jul 2013 04:00:00 +0000Kyanna.Sutton517411 at http://www.technologyreview.comMeet Atlas, the Robot Designed to Save the Dayhttp://www.technologyreview.com/news/517136/meet-atlas-the-robot-designed-to-save-the-day/
<p>New humanoid robots will compete in a contest designed to test the ability of machines to take on extremely dangerous and high-stakes human jobs.</p><p>The latest innovation from the U.S. Defense Department’s research agency, <a href="http://www.darpa.mil/" target="_blank">DARPA</a>, is a humanoid robot called Atlas that looks as if it could’ve walked straight off the set of the latest Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster.</p>Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:25:00 +0000Kyanna.Sutton517136 at http://www.technologyreview.com